MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING
OF THE
COTTRELLVILLE TOWNSHIP BOARD
WEDNESDAY, MAY 6TH, 2009, AT 7:30 P.M.
The regular meeting was called to order by Supervisor Thomas Raymond, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, at 7:31 p.m. in the Board Room of the Cottrellville Township Hall. Roll Call attendance taken.
Members Present: Supervisor Tom Raymond, Clerk Violet Pfaff, Treasurer Dian
Courtney, Trustee Beverly Kopec; Trustee Bernard Pelc.
Members Absent: None
Audience: David Buckley, Jackie Grulke, Vicke Raymond, Mary Agnes
Simons.
D). AGENDA APPROVAL:
ACTION: It was moved by Trustee Pelc, supported by Treasurer Courtney
to approve the agenda as presented with the following additions:
Adding a handout by Treasurer Courtney FYI to be discussed
under Public Comments.
5 Ayes; 0 Nays; Motion Carried.
E). CONSENT AGENDA:
1. Approval of Township Board Minutes of Regular April 8th, 2009
Meeting.
2. Approval of Treasurer’s Report.
3. Approval of Treasurer’s Financial Investments Report as of 03-31-09.
4. Approval of checks written:
a). Payroll Checks
b). “Non-Statutory Duties” Payroll for Supervisor Raymond for
January, February, March 2009; Treasurer Courtney for
March 2009.
5. Approval of Accounts Payables.
6. Approval of Payment of the DeLude Construction Invoice for March
2009. (Work for fire hydrant repair & call out on River Road Fire).
7. Continuing Education Request
a). Request for Deputy Treasurer Mazey to attend Special
Assessment Training Class.
Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the
COTTRELLVILLE TOWNSHIP BOARD
Wednesday, May 6th, 2009
Page Two
8. Correspondence:
a). Marine City Fire Department Runs for April, 2009
b). Ira Township Fire Department Runs Report, First Quarter,
2009.
c). SEMCOG Calendar of Executive Committee Meetings
& General Assembly Meetings for 2009.
d). FYI Reminder of Emergency Services Breakfast, Friday,
May 8th, 7:15 a.m., at Fore Lakes Golf Club.
Call and remind George & Del Kunnath, Dennis Basinski
and Bill & Pat Jenuwine.
ACTION: Motion by Trustee Kopec, seconded by Clerk Pfaff, to
approve all items on the Consent Agenda as documented.
Roll Call Vote: Courtney, Aye; Kopec, Aye; Raymond, Aye;
Pfaff, Aye; Pelc, Aye.
5 Ayes; 0 Nays; Motion Carried.
F). OPEN SESSION – ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD
David Buckley, Broadbridge Road, questioned when the chloride will be
put down on the gravel roads. Supervisor advised it is
put down 2 times per season, once it slows down on the
spring rains.
David Buckley, questioned when the ditching will be done on Broadbridge
Road since the watermain was installed. Supervisor
Raymond advised it should completed in June.
G). UNFINISHED BUSINESS: None.
H). NEW BUSINESS:
1). Preliminary Resolution to Adopt Water Supply Project for Water
District No. 3 and No. 4, formally requesting the St Clair County
DPW to proceed with assistance with financing the Project.
Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the
COTTRELLVILLE TOWNSHIP BOARD
Wednesday, May 6th,2009
Page Three
ACTION: Motion by Trustee Kopec, supported by Trustee Pelc, to
to adopt this resolution.
Roll Call Vote: Trustee Pelc, Aye; Treasurer Courtney, Aye;
Trustee Kopec, Aye; Clerk Pfaff, Aye; Supervisor Raymond, Aye.
5 Ayes; 0 Nays; Motion Carried.
2). Request for Appropriation to Cherry Beach Senior Center for repairs to asphalt parking lot of the center, receiving a bid for
$2,040.00.
Supervisor Raymond advised that in previous years, $1,500 was
authorized to a specific project like towards roofing, etc. This year,
we have reduced our budget & thereby reduced this authorization
to a $500 contribution.
Roll Call Vote: Treasurer Courtney, Aye; Trustee Pelc, Aye;
Trustee Kopec, Aye; Clerk Pfaff, Aye; Supervisor Raymond, Aye.
5 Ayes; 0 Nays; Motion Carried.
Also, as a point of information, one in six people in Cottrellville Twp
attend the Cherry Beach Center.
3). Budget Correction for fiscal Year 2009/2010. Supervisor Raymond
handed out a new copy of that page of the budget, it currently
reads under: Department 209 – Assessor, in the area of BS&A Software & 25% of server, computer – a rate of .005% to be added to any S.A.D. and paid in addition to salary.
This should read as 0.05%. (Example: $1,000,000 S.A.D. times 0.05% equals $500).
I). PUBLIC COMMENTS:
Trustee Bernie Pelc spent one day in the Clerk’s Office and Trustee Bev
Kopec spent a week in the Clerk’s Office observing and helping right along
side the Clerk and Deputy Clerk.
Miinutes of the Regular Meeting of the
Cottrellville Township Board
Wednesday, May 6th, 2009
Page Four
Mr. Pelc thought sending out 400 Absentee Voter Applications, could be
started by 9:30 a.m. and completed by 11:00 a.m., and ended by staying working until 3:30 p.m. Mrs. Kopec was very helpful working on filing,
absentee ballots, and the operations concerning the clerk’s work.
Water Tap Fees were also discussed. Water meters were read the first of May, and will be re-read the first of June to compare usage. Asphalt millings were purchased for Arnold Road, in 50-ton loads, has road grader scheduled to level this by Road Commission. And thanks to Wes Simons
who helped orchestrate the coordination of getting these millings for the
Township Park and our Township roads.
Supervisor Raymond advised that he has load of wood chips coming for
our township park for placement around the trees.
Raymond referenced a letter from John McNamee regarding a resolution to pay for engineering expenses, with a specific number for emergency costs to pay costs until the bond sale for Water District No 3 & No.4.
Raymond advised that his office sent in the FEMA letters of protest from
our township.
Supervisor Raymond also reminded everyone that the township hall will be closed on Monday, May 25th, 2009 in recognition of Memorial Day.
Mr. Raymond advised of the meetings he has attended on behalf of the
township, Bridge & Road Commission, Etna Supply & American Steel Pipe shopping pipe prices, and having road cleanup event.
Supervisor Raymond commended our St. Clair County Emergency Preparedness Liaison officer, Mike VanMilligan and his successful
efforts to get us one of the first 800 mhzt radios for our area.
Mr. Raymond advised the All Boards & Committees meeting held
in April had a nice turnout and Clerk Pfaff remarked about the great
article that appeared on the front page of the Voice newspaper
regarding it.
Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the
COTTRELLVILLE TOWNSHIP BOARD
Wednesday, May 6th, 2009
Page Five
The question of how the water main project was progressing came
up with Supervisor Raymond explaining that the drawings will be sent to the County and the State by the end of this week. The only thing left
as far as drawing was a hydrant detail, and should be approved by the
end of May, hopefully.
He advised that the bid package should be out by late June, and the bid opening scheduled shortly after that, and second public hearing should be
held somewhere in early July. We then will wait 30 days, and 35 to 45 days after the second public hearing, the sale of the bonds should occur
in Late August. Construction should begin within 30 days of that, so by September 30th, we should have a shovel in the ground.
Treasurer Courtney advised she was putting together the newsletter
again for the township, and the deadline for articles would be June 1st, 2009. She produced pricing on bulk mailing, and advised she was checking into having the property taxes prepared by KCI in Grand Rapids, or Eulie Briones of Mail Management Services in Port Huron. Treasurer
Courtney also believes if we read the water meters quarterly all at once,
that those could also be done by outsourcing instead of by the Clerk’s
Office.
Clerk Pfaff advised the board that we had approximately 200 voters
respond to the school election on Tuesday, that she was going to close
the Clerk’s office for the Emergency Preparedness Breakfast so both
she and the deputy clerk could attend; also that she was looking into
obtaining on-line bill paying for telephone bills, SEMCO Energy and DTE
as direct draws.
Trustee Pelc wants the MTA to clarify payroll services for us.
It was also discussed that there are going to be revenue cuts from the
Revenue sharing coffers, and it appears to be 4.8% at this time.
Treasurer Courtney reviewed the additional hours for the deputy clerk
again, and though it was reduced from 106 hours to 77 hours from last
pay period, advising that Simons should be limited to the budgeted 25 hours per week. Trustee Kopec advised that there is a lot going on in the Clerk’s Office and as long as they are keeping track of the hours, when they get close to her allotment being used up, then the job will be re-evaluated.
Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the
COTTRELLVILLE TOWNSHIP BOARD
Wednesday, May 6th, 2009.
Page Six
Treasurer Courtney would like to see that she place all the work she does on her time sheet for her review. Supervisor Raymond advised that keeping track of it on a time sheet was very over-whelming for him when he was preparing this documentation.
Clerk Pfaff advised the Board that her deputy does keep track of her work on a daily log and that Mary Agnes has offered to show Mrs. Courtney her work whenever she would want to review it, however she has never asked to see it. Mrs. Pfaff stated that she approves her deputy’s work and therefore her hours as well, and she is satisfied. Supervisor Raymond advised that all adjustments that are made on the water bill program are explained by her, and a notation in the daily log and the Auditor’s File is made by her and signed by the Supervisor.
Mrs.Courtney felt that perhaps the water billing could come across the hall to the Treasurer’s office to give the deputy clerk less work to do. Mrs. Pfaff advised that it was listed as a statutory duty of the Clerk’s Office to do the water & sewer billing and it’s going to stay in her office.
David Buckley advised in Public Comments that this portion of the meeting was very informative and he understood more of what was going on in the township
from this part of the meeting, then the whole rest of the meeting. He was glad
he was present for this part.
With no further business or comments, the meeting was adjourned at 9:02 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by,
_____________________________ ____________________________
Violet C. Pfaff, Clerk Thomas H. Raymond, Supervisor
COTTRELLVILLE TOWNSHIP COTTRELLVILLE TOWNSHIP
VCP/mas